Signal for railways.



No'. 744,716. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. W. Q..BR-YANT. .SIGNAL FUR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION PlBD IMAIB:l 1, 1902.

. m. e \\%\w wk 4 .,1, .....crwhnwvdd mw l.: ...u n I .un |.|.m..., A

".i I :JEL

T E o sPErznsco PoroLmo w New nc N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 190.

PATENT OFFICE..

WILLIS c. BRYANT, OE ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

SIGNAL FOR` RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o, r244,716, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed March l., 1902 To a/ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIS C. BRYANT, a citizen Cf the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signals for Railways,

ot' which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable lthose skilled in-the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved electrical block-signal system for railways, which may be used on all railways wherever such signal' systems are required and which is particularly designed for preventing rear-end collisions, a further object being to provide a signal systemof the class described which is particularly designed for use in railway-tunnels; andwith these and other objects in view the invention consists in a railway signal system or apparatus constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanyingdrawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure lis a diagrammatic View illustrating my improved electrical signal system for railways and the operation thereof; Fig. 2, an end view ofa tunnel anda rear end view of the locomotive therein and showing the part of my signal apparatus which is connected therewith; Fig. 3, a diagrammatic view of that part of the apparatus which is located in the cab of the locomotive; and Fig. 4, a detail viewof dierent forms of a trolley-arm which I employ and which in practice is connected with the cab of a locomotive, said trolley-arm being provided with three trolleys, one of which is insulated from the trolley-arm.

In the-drawings forming part of this specilfcation, reference being made to Fig. 1, I

have designated at a,.a2, and a3 three blocks of a railway provided.v with my improved block-signal system or apparatus, and it will be understood that the entire track or that portion thereof to which my improvement is applied is divided into blocks, any number of which may be employed, and said blocks Serial No. 96,236. (No model.)

`may be of any desired length. I have also shown at b that portion of the apparatus which in practice is placed in the` superintendents or train-despatchers office, and on the block a2 of the track I have indicated at' c a locomotive and at d the rails of a track to which my improved signal system is applied, and in the practice of my invention I construct and arrange the various parts of my signal system or apparatus in the following mannep:

Within the superintendents or train-despatchers ottico, which is designated in Fig. 1 by the reference character b, I place a plurality of electromagnets f2 and f3, which equal in 'number the blocks into which the track is divided and which correspond therewith, and each of these magnets is provided with a pivoted armature f4, having a contact-point or limiting-stop f5, which operates in connection with a corresponding contactpoint or limiting-stop f6, with which the corresponding magnet is provided, vand each of magnets is a support h2, which carries a plurality ofcontact points h3, and connected with these` contact points h3 by means of branch wires h4 is a main returnwire h5, which is connected with the rails of the track d and with a dynamo h6 or any other suitable source or generator of electricity. I also employ a main conductor c', which extends the full length of the track and is also connected with the dynamo h6, and each section or block intowhich the track is divided is provided with two supplemental wires 112 and 713, which run parallel with the main conductor-wire t', and the wires i2 of the separate blocks or sections a, a2, and a3 are connected, respectively, with the corresponding electromagnets f, f2,

and fs in the superintendents ontrain-de- Y spatchers ofiice, as shown in Fig. 1, while the wires s of the separate blocks or sections areV roo ures. I have also shown in Fig. 1 a locomotive c, which in the position shown in the drawings occupies the block a2, and I have also indicated anotherlocomotive at the righthaud side thereof, which occupies the block a. The locomotive c is provided with a trolleyarm j, which carries three trolleys jz, je', and jl, which operate in connection with the wires 3, fi, and i2, respectively, and the trolleyj`2 is insulated from the trolley-arm j, and within the cab of the locomotive is placed an electromagnet 7c, which is in connection with the trolley-wheel (i2, which is insulated from the trolley-arm j, this connection being made by means of a Wire 7a2, and in the circuit formed by this wire is placed a red light 7c3, and the magnet 7c is grounded, as shown at m, and is also provided with a pivoted armature 7a4, with one end of which is connected a white light h5, this connection being made by means of a wire 7a, and the armature 7a4 is also connected atits opposite end, by means of a wire k7, with the trolley-army'. The details of the locomotive equipment are shown detached and on an enlarged scale in Fig. 3, and it will be understood that each locomotive operating on the track CZ is similarly equipped;

The wires i, ft2, and t3 may be arranged in any desired manuel', and the trolley-arm j may be formed in any desired manner; but in Fig. 3 I have shown this trolley-arm provided with three branches which carry the trolleysjji, andj'l.

The operation is as follows: Vhen the locomotive c enters the block a2, the contacts ,[2, jg, and j4 engage the Wires '113, 1l, and t2, respectively, and the main conducting-wire is always in circuit with the dynamo h6, and therefore always charged. As shown in Fig. 4, the contacts l71' and jl of the trolley-arm j are in electrical connection with each other, while the contact j? is insulated therefrom. Therefore the current passes from the wire 'i through the trolley-army' to contact j4, also through the trolley-arm j, Wire k7, armature 7t4,\vhich normally is in electrical communication with the wire 7a through said Wire k6, lamp t, and to the ground, as shown in Fig. 3, and the lamp 7c5, which is White, is thereby lighted. The current passing through the trolley-arm j and contactj4 and Wire i2 enters the electromaguet]e2 and tothe ground by m3, and the armature f4 is thereby actuated, and the current passes through said armature, contact h3, wires h4 and h5 to dynamo h6. Vhen this circuit is complete, the current also passes through the wire g2, lamp g, and wire g3, which is in electrical connection with the armature f4, and the lamp gis thereby lighted. As will thus be seen, there are two complete` circuits when a locomotive is in any one block, there being uo cause for dangersignals, one circuit through the locomotive lighting the white lamp 71:5 and the other circuit through the train-despatchers ofce and lighting the lamp g, and the engineer and train-despatcher are thereby notilied that all is Well. Should, however, alocomotive come into the block next to the rear, (in this case the block (1,) the trolley-army' of this locomotive would engage the wires 713, t', and t2 of this block, and the Wires 'L' and 122 of the block a2, being already in complete connection through the locomotive in the block a2, the locomotive iu the block a would be similarly connected; but the Wire 3 of the block ct is in electrical connection with the armature f of the electromagnet f2, which is already in electrical operation. Therefore the current would pass through contact j? of the trolleyarm j of the locomotive in block a, through the trolley-arm,7, wire 7a2, and electromagnet 7c and to the ground through m, at which time the armature k is actuated and breaks the contact between the armature 7c* and wire 7c, and thereby extinguishes the White lamp 765, and the lamp 7c3, which is red, is thereby lighted and warns the engineer that a train is in the block next ahead. The current also fiows through the Wire i2 of t-he block a by means of the contactsj3 andj4 to the electromagnetf iu the traiu-despatchers office, attracts the armature f of this electromagnct, and passes through said electromagnet to Wires h4 and h5 and back to dynamo h, and the lamp g of the electromagnetfis thereby lighted, and the train-despatcher seeing two lamps lighted knows that a train is in each of the blocks a2 and a, and the current passing into the wire t3 of the electromagnet f is in readiness for operation with a locomotive which might come into, the next block to the rear.

The lamp g of each electromagnet is energized when the circuit is complete between said electromagnet and its corresponding armature f4, as the Wires g2 and g3 of the lamp g of each electromagnet are electrically connected with the electromagnet and its corresponding armature, respectively.

When the locomotive c in the block a2 passes into the block a3, the rst operation described is repeated, as will be readily seen, and the electromagnet]03 is then actuated, and the electromagnet f2 is then out of electrical connection with the wire t, so the wire i3 of the block a is no longer energized, and the current of the segmental circuit is again completed, and the red light 7a3 in the locomotive in the block a is extinguished and the white lamp h5 lighted,l and the lamp g ot' the electromagnet]r2 in the traiu-despatchers office is also extinguished, while the lamps g of the electromagnets fand f3 are energized, and the train-despatcher knows thereby the position of each train which may be in any of the blocks.

It will be understood, of course, that the operation hereiubefore described is repeated or Will be the same in any block or section of the system, and if a train at any time be ou any block or section of said system and a sec- ICO ond train should enter the block or section preceding it the engineer of the second train will be at once notiedfthat a train is on the preceding block or section, this notification being given as hereinbefore described.

Having fully described myinvent-ion,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y l. In a block-signal system pluralityofgroundedelectromagnetsequaling in number the blocks or sections of the road, a main wire or conductor, a main return-wire having contact-points adjacent to'said mag- Y nets, a pivoted armature adjacentto each of said magnets and means for making contact therewith and with the contact-points of the main return-wire,a signal adjacent to each of said magnets and adapted to be operated by the armature thereof, two supplemental wires in each block or section parallel with the main wire or conductor one of said supplemental wires in each block or section being in connection with one of said magnets and the other supplemental wire in each block or section being in connection with the armature of another of said magnets, substantially as shown and described. V l

. 2. In a block-signal system for railways, a plurality of grounded magnets equaling in number the blocks or sections of the road, a main wire or conductor, a main wire having contact-points adjacent to said magnets, a pivoted armature adjacent to each of saidy magnets and means for making contact therewith and with the contact-points of the main return-wires, a light adjacent to each of said magnets and adapted to be actuated by the armature thereof, two-supplemental wires in each block or section parallel with the main wire o'r conductor one of said supplemental Wires in each block or section being in connection with one of said magnets and the other supplemental wire in each block or section being in connection wit-h the armature of another of saidmagnets, and a trolley-arm connected with the cab of a locomotive and provided with three trolleys, one of whichA is insulated therefrom,said trolleys being adapted to operate in connection with the main conductor-wire and the supplemental wires in each block or section, substantially as vshown and described.-

3. In a block-signal system for railways, a plurality of grounded magnets equaling in number the blocks or sections of the road, a main wire or conductor, a main-return-wire having contact-points adjacent to said magnets, apivoted armature adjacent to each of said magnets and means for making contact therewith and with the contact-points of the main return-wire, a light adjacent to each of said magnets and adapted to be actuated by the armature thereof, two supplemental wires in each block or section parallel with the main wire or conductor, one of said supplemental wires in each block or section being in connection with one of said magnets and for railways, al

being also provided with an armature which is normally in connection with'the trolley-arm and a light adapted to be actuated through vsaid armature, substantially as shown and described.

4. An electric block-signal system for railways, comprising a main conductor-wire, a main return-wire, a plurality of grounded magnets equaling in number the blocks or sections into which a railway is divided, a pivoted armature adjacent to each of said magnets, means for making contact between said magnets and corresponding armatures two supplemental wires running parallel with the main conductor-wire in 'each of the blocksor sections,one of saidsupplemental wiresin each block or section being in connection with the corresponding magnet and the other with the armature of another magnet, and means connected with the locomotive for closing the circuit through the supplemental wires,the magnets and the armatures,subs'tantially asshown and described.

5. In an electric signal system for railways divided into blocks or sections, a plurality of grounded magnets, a pivoted armature adjacent to each of said magnets, means for making contact between said magnets and the corresponding armatures, a main conductorwire, a main return-wire in connection with the contacts of said armatures, twov supplemental wires in each block or section running parallel with .the main conductor-wire, one of said supplemental wires in each block or section being in connection with one ofsaid magnets and the other supplemental Wire in said block or section being in connection with the armature of another of said magnets, and a trolley-arm connected with the locomotive and provided with three trolleys adapted to operate in connection with the main conductorwire and the supplemental wires, one of'said trolleys being insulated from said arm, sub` sponding armatures, a main conductor-wire,I

a main return-wire adapted to be connected with the armatures of said magnets, two supplemental wires in each'block or section running parallel with the main conductor-wire, one of said supplemental wires in each block IOO I ro

or section being in connection with one of said magnets andthe other supplemental wire in said block or section being in connection with the armature of one of said magnets and a trolley-arm connected with the locomotive and provided with three trolleys adapted to operate in connection with the main conductor-Wire and the supplemental Wires, one of said trolleys being insulated from said arm, the cab of the locomotive being also provided with a magnet in connection with the insulated trolley, a signal-light actuated thereby and another light actuated by the armature of said magnet which is in connection with said trolley-arm, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a block-signal system for railways, a plurality of grounded electromagnets, a pivoted armature adjacent to each, means for making contact between said magnets and corresponding armatures, a main conductor, a return-conductor provided With contactpoints adjacent to one end of each of the pivoted armatures, and two supplemental Wires in each block parallel with said main conductor, one of said Wires in each block being in connection with one of said magnets and the other in connection With the pivoted armature of one another said magnets, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a signal apparatus ot' the class described, a trolley-arm connected with the cab of the locomotive and provided With three trolleys one of Which is insulated from the arm, said trolleys being adapted to operate in con nection with a three-Wire circuit, the main return-wire of which is permanently grounded an 4electromagnet Within the cab of the locomotive, said magnet being grounded, a Wire connecting said magnet with the insulated trolley, a signal connected with said Wire, an armature pivotally supported adjacent to said magnet, a signal connected therewith and a wire connecting one end of said armature with the trolley-arm, said armature being grounded through said last-named signal,sub stantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing Witnesses, this 25th day of February, 1902.

WILLIS C. BRYANT.

Vitnesses: i

F. A. STEWART, F. F. TELLER. 

